Dial M for Murder
by hslippery
Summary: Dark themed one-shot. Please do not read if you feel squeamish regarding Death related issues. Now changed to two shot, and complete.
1. Chapter 1

The room was dark, empty and cold. So much like the rest of this mansion. Silence reigned, as if the mansion had been transported to the deepest recesses of Hades' realm.

A cold wind blew from the small window as I worked diligently in one corner of the small room, my actions by now practiced, smooth and efficient.

This vial goes here, need to weigh 200 milligrams of the crushed plant, put the scientific weighing paper on the weighing machine, reset to zero, carefully pour out 200 mg of the powder, there. All done.

Now all I had to do was to pour this mixture that contained 98% Ricin with 2% dilute ethanol, and I should be all set.

The door opened with a clank, and Yukino chan lumbered into the room, looking fraught and tired at the same time. Ohhhh, she was worried. I'd seen that look on her face before, especially when she would see Hikigaya kun attempt something risky or extreme.

"Nee san, why are you still up this late in the night?"

"Ah, it's morning already Yukino chan. Look out of the window, and you will see the first rays of sunlight slant into the room in just a few minutes. It's vital, essential, that this mixture be treated to sunlight for at least one hour for the mixing to take place. It cannot be any other way…"

"Nee san, go back to bed, you're scaring me. You've been up to this chemistry mumbo jumbo mixing chemicals for more nights than I can count. What's the matter? Why work on it so hard? Can it not wait until the morning? Come…"

I felt my sister's cold light hands try to raise me up.

"Leave me alone for now, Yukino. I'll come to bed and rest when I'm done with all of this."

I knew I should have said that with steel in my voice, but I just couldn't bring myself to raise my voice or be harsh towards her.

"Nee san, at least tell me what you're doing. I'm good at Chemistry. You know that, right? I've always been good with the Sciences, I know I can help you get this work done quicker, and then perhaps you can sleep well…"

I rose up from my plastic chair, pushing it back with a screech, and reached out to her cheek, caressing it gently.

"Just stay with me here, if that's what you like. After all, if you are interested in the work I'm doing, who am I to ask you to go away? But, please, don't disturb me. This _is_ something I _have_ to do. No matter what."

She settled down after that, a sorry look on her face as she watched me continue my work, as I poured the mixture into six separate vials, all semi permeable, needing only a small twitch of a needle to let them pour out.

I assembled all of them into a specialized dispenser that I had ordered from the Pines Scientific company of the U.S. It would greatly facilitate me when work was to be done.

I had to be quick, lest one of the chefs or our butler became suspicious. I only had access to a small window of opportunity-

The door clanked open once more, breaking me out of my reverie. This time, it was Hikigaya kun who entered the room. Oh my God, Yukino chan had grown so bold, inviting Hikigaya kun to our house in the presence of our parents.

It wasn't even a lover's secret rendezvous. This was an open challenge to mother's authority.

"Yukino chan, you really have grown bold. It makes so immensely proud to see you making these kinds of decisions for yourself. Especially after that fall out with mother."

I remembered that fall out as clear as if it had happened yesterday. Mother rampaging through the house, all the balance of the house upset as my lovely little bold sister announced her engagement to Hikigaya kun. That had been one moment I had relished-and would relish for a long time to come.

"Is it really brazen? Announcing that I have liked your sister for so long now?"

"Ara, so he finally admits he likes me. I thought he was so dense, Diamond itself could be no match for him. As dense as a King being ridiculed, as dense as Osmium[1], as dense as even Hachiman himself!"

"Oi, I have a heart, you know."

"One that belongs to me now, I know." Yukino smiled benignly at him, and he seemed to melt in that smile like ice on Sun.

Oh, how I loved my sister conversing like that. So teasing, so full of life, so very much…alive.

If I could, I would thank Hikigaya kun with each and every tear that I had ever possessed. That would never happen though. I had been trained to not show emotions. Then again, I would hug them if I could.

The cold winds startled me back into the present. And with a shock, I noticed the clock. It was already Seven in the morning.

"You really are going to go through with it, aren't you, Nee san?" Yukino had such a sad look on her face.

"I have to. I need to. I promised myself I would do it today. At the meeting."

"Yukinoshita san." A certain formal young man spoke up."Live your life, be happy. Don't look into the past. What is done is done. Is that not what Lady Macbeth said?[2] You cannot undo what has already happened. You will find ways to live with it."

"Live with it? Live with it? How do I live with it! What am I supposed to do? Let it slide? Am I a goat that is slaughtered without second thoughts? You never lived for yourself Hikigaya Hachiman! You always put others before yourself. Yukino chan, Gahama chan. What's the matter with you?"

This was bad, very bad. If someone heard my loud voice, it would bring down the butler, or one of the guards. I needed to control myself.

"What is done is done, yes. But I will do what I can to… make amends… for my inaction. I will take it all. I will…yes, I will take it all away. And I will live how I want to live, or perhaps die trying."

"There are ghosts, Nee san, that never give up on you. That will continue to haunt you for the rest of your life. Do you want to be pursued by such ghosts for eternity?"

"If it gives me peace of mind, yes."

"What use peace of mind, when all you have is nothing." Hikigaya's eyes were so very sad, as he lightly picked Yukino chan's hand and led her out of the room, quietly but determinedly.

"Do it, Nee san, but know this. Your peace of mind will not last long."

With that solitary smile of hers, she faded away into the darkness of the corridor beyond.

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"Good Morning, Haruno san." Hayama greeted me, as brightly as the poor little boy could muster.

Oh, he must be terrified, must not he? I had made my contempt for such a sorry excuse of a man clear both to his parents and mine. That they persisted in their course of action was a proof of their absolute idiocy.

What good would a marriage alliance do, if all they had as a daughter in law was a shell of a person who could no longer focus properly?

I bought in the drinks myself. All 300 milliliters of the Krug Clos D'Ambonnay 1995, one of the most expensive champagnes in the world. So fitting, that these people who had lived in the lap of luxury their entire life should be drinking this. Such a fitting end to such a fitting occasion to such a fitting audience.

How would Alexander the Great have felt when he was being poisoned? Or one of the so many other victims of poisonings? I would find out soon enough.

For the first time in at least six months, I felt an indescribable glee, one I can only compare to the time when I had watched my father fall apart when I sided with Yukino chan and threatened to leave for good if her engagement was in any way or shape, opposed by my parents.

"Haruno-san, let me compliment you on your radiant face this morning. You truly look like the most beautiful woman in Japan…" the rest of Hayama's boring pleasantries drifted into the ether as I focused on the tray where drinks were being picked up by the various people in preparation for the toast to come.

Finally done with his mind numbing pleasantries, everyone picked a glass from the tray.

I had decided at the very last moment to not dissolve the solution with my own glass. I still had a thing or two to finish. Maybe living wouldn't be so bad, after all. What was it that Hikigaya kun had said? There is too much beauty to quit[3]. Yeah, that's what he had said yesterday.

I rebuked myself for phasing out at such an important phase of the plan.

And raised my glass.

"To a long and happy relationship, both for the bride and groom, and for the two families."

The bald moron who claimed to be my father said with a smile as fake as a two dollar bill.

"Hear, hear." The others joined. Not me.

I affixed my eyes at my mother, who had just swigged down her glass of champagne.

And watched as everyone clutched their throats in a desperation that, had they emulated in understanding people, would have saved their lives. The very life I watched draining away into whatever awaited them in the hereafter.

Oh, Chemistry was so astonishingly beautiful. It always took my breath away seeing all the principles of Chemistry work to perfection.

I walked to my mother with that same smile I had greeted everyone with upon entering the room.

"Mother dear, dearest mother, admit it won't you?" I had purposefully added 30 mg less of the poison in her drink to make sure the blood clotting mechanism in her blood stream was slower, giving me some time to talk to her.

She looked at me with the eyes of a puppy who had seen her siblings cut down, and was now facing her executioner.

"Come now, will you play the innocent little mother till the end? I saw them. I saw all those emails with the hitman." I could feel the blood rushing through my head.

I threw the file of printouts at her face. Files containing printouts that documented her correspondence with a hitman, one who specialized in 'accidents'.

Her eyes went wider, if possible. "Yuk-…died in car…cident"

"What was that? Speak up, woman. Was that an accident you said it was? Still going to deny it, aren't you…Did you think encrypting them would stop me? Didn't you know I've always liked a challenging puzzle. Your accounts were so easy to hack too."

This woman here was one of the most rotten humans I had ever seen in my entire life, and I'd seen my share of despicable beings.

"You just couldn't stomach your daughter marrying someone other than who _you_ thought was a proper husband, yes? You couldn't just let them live." The last part came out of my already parched throat. I must have been hyperventilating, given the amount of blood I could feel pumping inside me. It wouldn't surprise me if I were shrieking.

Her eyes started streaming water. "Oh, you find it in you to cry alligator's tears now, hmmm? Well, too late, mother."

I stood up, mother still looking at me frantically, as if I could still save her.

"Don't worry, mother, it'll all be over in another…20 seconds." I turned around and walked to the can of gasoline.

Having sprinkled it all over, I was surprised to hear the door open. I raised the silenced 9mm I had bought as a backup just in case someone happened to walk in.

But it was just Yukino chan.

"You did it, didn't you, Nee san…" She said, her eyes heavy with sadness.

I gave her my best smile. "Not just for you, but for me as well. I can now rest knowing I avenged those important to me." Her face broke down at that, and Hikigaya kun walked in, putting his hands around her shoulders, walking her out quietly. His eyes seemed more…dead than usual. Oh, how fitting, I smirked. The two receded away into the corridor beyond as if smoke blown away by a fan.

I tossed the cigarette lighter behind me, and a rush of heated air greeted my back, as I walked away, the room smoldering, alarm bells ringing away. And I felt…empty.

 **Notes:**

[1]: An element. It is the densest element in the world

[2]: For those not acquainted with Shakespeare, this is from Macbeth.

[3]: Reference to 'Stay'

 **A/N:** First of all, I really don't know what I just did. Believe me when I say, I have a small smile on my face that tells me I have absolutely no idea what made me go off the way I did.

If someone read this and feels they have been scarred by it for the rest of their lives, I sincerely apologize.

Having said that, I wish to make clear my intentions as I wrote this fic.

My inspiration for this fic was a small convo I had with one of the reviewers, and we wondered what would happen if (or why) Haruno turned vengeful (you know who you are, mate).

So, in a way, you might take this fic as an anti-thesis to what I'm trying to show with the other fic I'm working on. Which shows a (much) more benevolent side to Haruno.

Nor will I be absolved of my duty if I do not mention some of the earlier darker themed one-shots (as this one is) on this fanfic site, where Hachiman turns out dead, or either of the two girls do.

For those who feel this one went way off, I apologize once again.


	2. Chapter 2

Cold winds blew across the small backyard of the dilapidated little house. Despite its rundown appearance, the house looked like something right out of a beautiful photograph that some landscape photographer had snapped upon finding inspiration from its appearance.

A man in a crisp expensive business suit walked out of the back door, looking at his watch as he came out. He was surrounded by a detail of bodyguards, all armed to the teeth, and all wearing the same suits, Armani business black. The same one I was wearing. The one I had, well…borrowed shall we say from the bodyguard who had had the misfortune of being responsible for reconnoitering the block that surrounded the dilapidated little house.

The business man with shiny golden hair proceeded with a very business-like stride to the car, and went ahead and sat inside, the door being held open by one of the suits.

The convoy of six cars started up, moving in a snake-like fashion, much like the owner inside was. But like any other snake that has grown old, the snake would have its head chopped.

I gave one last look at the car that contained the executive director of one of Japan's largest legal consultant services. Then pressed the button on the remote in my hand.

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Three weeks ago

"It's not how we remember the soul of the dead that makes a person memorable in our own hearts. It's what that person meant to us, what they did for us, how they stuck to us in times of difficulty, and too in times of joy that makes a person special."

We also remember those who helped us and did not in times of difficulty, regardless of who we are, I thought bitterly as that eulogy battered onwards. And it's stuck _with_ _us_ , you idiot. Get your grammar right.

"My daughter was never one for too many words. She held a lot of what she faced to herself, burying it all so that she would never bother us with it."

Or, perhaps, she just didn't want to talk to you, because like the loser you are, you would run to Mama and she would destroy you for it. And then she would destroy Yukino as well with her all too sharp tongue.

I sighed. My cynical responses in my head to my father's idiotic statements were so useless. What was done was done, and Yukino was gone. 'Oh, why does a horse have life, a rat have life, but you none?' Wasn't that what King Lear had said?

"But she was always there for us, battling her own demons as she battled external ones, fighting bravely by herself for everyone. And we shall remember her for that."

As his eulogy wound down, I cursorily threw a glance at my mother.

Tightly wound inside her black Kimono, she looked more a coiled panther ready to strike her prey, than a mother who would want her offspring's protection.

Her attitude was off, I could all too clearly see that. She had an anticipatory look on her face, as if she was praying that father didn't make a mistake. Why that, though? Well, I'll think on that later. But something definitely was off.

I then looked at three people off to one side, all huddled together, and utter coldness and warmth struck my heart at the same time. Three people mourning the loss of the only son, in Komachi's case, her only brother who doted her to the point of being potentially labelled a siscon.

My heart felt cold with the ashes that seemed to pervade the deaths of the two youngsters. Everything these days felt cold and grey, and my mouth felt so ash-like. But for the first time in the four days since the news had come in, I felt a bit of warmth. Hachiman would be missed by his family. He had people who had genuinely loved him. Unlike Yukino, because the only one who would be missing her would be me. And sorely too.

It was so unfair to the survivors and the living that the dead should leave them behind. I had always known that people who had lost someone dear to them felt left behind. To think that I would now share that same pain would've been a terrifying prospect a few days ago. Now, it felt like hammers had driven nails everywhere into me, the only thing missing was the physical pain.

But it's not like I had tried particularly hard to make Yukino feel comfortable when she had decided to bring Hachiman in her life. I should've offered more support, should've been there for her. Oh, the regrets…

A hand touched me slightly and I jumped to the touch.

"Yukinoshita san?"

A suit in all black, one of the bodyguards asked. I glared at him.

"What is it?"

"We're ready to leave now."

I looked at him with incredulity.

"Says who?"

"Uhmm…says your mother."

"My mother can leave when she wants to leave." I spat out, my face livid. "I'm staying here. I want to stay here. Get out, all of you, get out of my sight."

I waved him away. Irritating idiot. They could go to hell, all of them. I felt eyes on my back, and turned around to see my mother looking at me in a coldly angry fashion. I glared back, and she leaned towards father and said something. I turned my back towards them.

I heard his steps approaching announcing his presence.

"I'm not leaving. Tell her that. Leave me alone for now." I said not deigning to turn around and acknowledge his presence.

"Haruno, we have a meeting this afternoon."

"I don't care. I'm skipping this one and no matter what you say, I'm not coming. I'll brief myself with the help of the minutes later on. Now leave me alone." I said that with finality and heard him walk away.

A short while later, the convoy of cars screeched into motion, and I turned to see one car remain, waiting for me whenever I was done. They could wait. I needed to be with Yukino for a bit.

I walked to the stone that had Yukino's name engraved on it and sat down on the grass besides it.

A terrific crackle sounded, coming from the heavens as the skies opened up.

Oh, wasn't this just so …apt. Dark, rainy weather to match my mood.

I felt drops of water on my skin as it poured and poured, and for the first time, I mixed drops of water of my own with them, slowly, silently as the heavens mourned the passing of a cynic and his ice cold partner.

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"The files are missing. Where are they?" I demanded from the young-ish police commissioner of the Prefectural Police Department, who sat behind the desk with a nonchalant look behind his huge oaken desk. A look that I would have to remove from his face, perhaps with the skin that covered it if I got angry enough.

"The case was closed, Miss. An accident. Most tragic, certainly. But a car accident is exactly that. I'm not sure what it is that you're looking for further over here."

Right, so he was going to play the I-don't-know card. Very well, there was only one to handle such people.

"Yeah, you're right. I guess there's nothing further to look into. Thank you for your help. I'll be leaving now." I waved a desultory defeated good bye, and exited the building. He should be calling his higher up sometime soon.

And I could listen to that with the micro-acoustic phones I had left in his office. I was rewarded immediately by chatter from the receiver which instantly solidified to a human voice.

"Yeah, the daughter just came in, Chief. She had questions, but I made sure I defused the situation without giving anything away or making anything look suspicious. She just left."

Bumptious fool.

So… the chief of police was in on this as well. What were they covering up? I felt a twisted knot form in my stomach. Nothing good was going to come of this.

I laid my head back on the head rest of the Mercedes I had taken out and sighed. Did I really want to find out the truth so much? What if it was so bad that even my worst dreams hadn't imagined it? No, I needed the truth. I had to finish what I started.

"Are you sure, Nee san?" I jumped at the voice that had broken me out of my reverie.

And smiled when I saw my younger sister. Was I in such a bad mental state that I had formed an image of Yukino in my head, and now she spoke to me? The family psychiatrist would have a field day, diagnosing me with god knows what or how many disorders. But Yukino was waiting for an answer.

"Yeah, I need to understand. I need to find the truth."

"Some truths are just not worth the effort. Some truths can hurt where you are weakest."

"Are you trying to discourage me, Yukino san? You're not doing a good job, sis."

She sighed, and started fading.

"You always were headstrong. Then again, you are my sister. I knew what you would do. I had to try." And she disappeared just like that.

I looked outside, and the traffic policewoman was looking at me with odd eyes. Time to get out of here.

I started up the car, and took it towards the Chief's office. I had been there before and I knew how to get there in a hurry.

The trick would be to not let anyone know what I knew and worm information out of them. That ruled out directly assaulting the Chief's home and torturing the answers out of him. Oh, yes, I knew what I could do.

Let this be a social call then.

I arrived at his house and rang the front door bell. I had a vague ghost of a plan.

I had bought the sherry that I knew he like so very much. The housekeeper appeared at the door, and knowing me, bowed and moved aside, letting me in.

I strode into the foyer. This damned house looked so much like a hospital. He was an old man, after all.

"Yukinoshita san." An old bent man appeared at the top of the stairway. "What a surprise to see you today. It's been a long time. Come in, come in." The old fumbling fool waved me in.

I stood on my toes and kissed both of his cheeks and sat in the drawing room.

"Courteous as always, Yukinoshita san. I am very sorry to hear about your loss. She was a very beautiful young woman. I wish I had gotten to know her better." What a load of absolute crap. How did these people even come up with such an idiotic act? But now was not the time for that.

Mustering all my grace, I spoke up. "Thank you for your kind words. I am very much obliged."

"So what brings the lovely Yukinoshita san to my humble abode?" The irony in that statement was so glaring, I could've laughed my head off. Humble abode? This place was practically plaited with gold. Taken from all the countless bribes offered to him no doubt.

"Ah, I just decided to drop by and congratulate you on your son's new position. I hear he has obtained quite a high ranking job in the national court." I said, my eyes gleaming.

"Oh, is that so? Thank you so much. Yes, indeed, he has obtained quite the high ranking job. I just need to find him a good wife who can stay by his side. Any suggestions, Yukinoshita san?" The old man disgusted me with his all too open offers. Well, he wasn't the first to ask if I were available for a marriage. Let him think he has a chance, though. It was important for what I was about to do.

"Ah, yes, perhaps something can be arranged in that regard. However," I opened the bottle of sherry with a pop, "I'm here to celebrate. And I know you like sherry. So, why don't we celebrate by drinking this?" I poured out a sizeable amount in his glass.

"To your health." I said raising my glass, which had a considerably less amount than his. And he loved sherry too, so he certainly wouldn't mind.

"My…well, yes indeed, to my health." He gulped it down in one go. I didn't know how much time it would take for him to get drunk, but the bottle was quite large, I had made sure of that.

"More?" I asked already pouring more in his glass.

"Well, my Doctor says…Oh never mind. I'll indulge just this once, dear." Perfect.

After three more glasses, he had a red tinge on his face, announcing his drunkenness.

Time to put my plan to action. I turned around a bit and poured a shot of Sodium Thiopental into it. Truth serum, as it is more popularly known. I then turned back around and offered him the glass.

"Well…I really can't have you drinking all that much. We are drinking to your health, and this is bad for your health, but have a last one." I offered the glass rather alluringly to him.

"Yes, yes, definitely the last one, dear." He said with an idiotic smile. And downed the glass' contents in one go. Good. That was one thing done.

I gave the chemical about five minutes to take effect. The Chief was splayed across the sofa in a rather hazy state. Perfect.

"Now, Chief." I said. "I want to know what your computer's password is." I could copy all the files in there as I questioned him.

"Why, it's the first five letters and the first three numbers…" He said in a sing-song voice. This man was so drunk…

I typed in the password and got it in the first try. Oh, how beautiful is chemistry…

I attached the USB and executed the software that would copy all directories. I then turned around.

"Now, my dear chief."

"Yes!" He saluted and I giggled. This was fun.

"Where are the files on my sister's car accident?"

"Oh, thooose." He extended just about every syllable.

"Yukinoshita san had them destroyed. A fire, I think it was…"

Yukinoshita san, huh. That would probably be my mother. Very, very interesting indeed.

Well, I got what I had wanted out of this old man. He probably didn't know anything more. It didn't hurt to double check though.

"What do you know about my sister's death?" I asked.

"Meeee? I don't know anything. They just asked me to destroy the file, and I did so."

I'd heard what I wanted to hear. A pity that housekeeper had seen me come in. Otherwise I would've shot him right here and now. Well, I _could_ kill both him and the maid. That would leave no witnesses. No, I decided, too haphazard, too unplanned, too many unknown factors. I'll leave this idiot be. He was small fry anyway.  
I turned around and walked out.

I had the information I needed, and I had just received a boost in my intelligence. That old retard had pointed me in the right direction after all. I needed to have a look at my mother's laptop.

I drove home. Once there, I immediately connected to the local wifi. Now if she was around and on her laptop, I could hack in… She was around, and stupidly enough, she had printer sharing switched on.

Stupid, Mother, very stupid. It was so easy to forget that sharing switched on could allow others access into the computer if they were connected via the same access point.

Good, I was through the first hurdle.

A handy little Trojan that was not (yet) detected by her AntiVirus software needed to be installed. Just to see what her keystrokes were. I could gain access to her accounts once her passwords were known. I had to wait to wait patiently.

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One week later

I returned from the shower to check for progress on my laptop. I had had a long and very annoying meeting with the Hayama law firm.

Stupid mother. She thought she could simply give me away to the Hayamas. As if I were chattel, or some expensive object that could be sold for business investments.

The key stroke logger had done its job. She had logged into her accounts this previous week. I had access to all of those accounts now.

And as I accessed these accounts, I saw the truth unravel before my eyes. Every email she had written to that hitman from her fake anonymous account stripped a piece of my heart away, until I was sure nothing was left in there. And the Hayamas were involved as well. Well, no surprise there. He always was a bastard, the old man. And his son had taken after him. No wait, the old man was at least clever and cunning. Hayato was neither. What a bore.

But now that I thought about it, those plants growing outside, with poisonous stems looked more and more useful. They needed looking into, those plants. That poison. It all needed looking into.

With what I had in mind, I needed to make careful plans for its execution. Hah, execution. Now there was a good pun for you.

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One week later

I tossed the lighter behind me, feeling heat rush my back as the gasoline ignited. In a few moments, the bodies would be crisp, and the firefighters would be here.

As the sirens grew louder, I started to get into shape for my 'ordeal' ahead.

As the first firefighters rushed through the main doors to the hallway that led inside to where the fire was, I collapsed with exhaustion. Luckily for me, right into the arms of one of the firefighters, as he looked at me with alarm written all over his face.

"Miss, Miss, can you hear me? Miss, look at me." A flashlight shone at my dilated pupils. I feigned exhaustion.

"My mother…father…help, please." I sagged further and closed my eyes, to his alarm no doubt, as he rushed me back to the paramedics waiting behind.

Good, another hurdle down.

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Present time

Why was it that the world's 'justice system' sounded like such a good idea to people? 'Justice'. That was such a laughable notion, wasn't it?

Those who had money could get away with whatever they wanted by hiring good, or at least better lawyers with their money. The poor who couldn't afford anything would have to be content with whatever punishment they got.

Where was the justice in all of this? How was any of this fair to anyone?

Well, if the justice system would not avenge Yukino's and Hachiman's killings, then I would do so myself. After all, I did have the power to take action. And I would take action. I had the resources to do so.

In this world, a person's means determined what he or she could do. If I were a regular person from a regular family that didn't have as many resources as I did, I would probably find it difficult to do anything.

But the point was that I had not only the capability but also the resources; so I would have my revenge.

One person hadn't attended that pre-nuptial ceremony. One person who had been responsible and equally complicit in the murders of Yukino and Hachiman. Hayato's father. The man who had marched out of the house after a small personal meeting with the very same Hitman who had killed both of them.

As I pressed the button on the remote in front of me, I exited the car and covered my ears.

A heavy explosion sounded from inside the house. That should take care of the Hitman, I thought.

But strangely enough, only one bomb had exploded. The other one inside Hayama Sr.'s car hadn't exploded. The one I had set there after having 'borrowed' the suit from the female bodyguard.

Oh well, the illegal black market arms dealer would have hell to pay for this. I will probably send my contact at the Tokyo Police Security Bureau the address out of which the man operated. And make sure he died, leaving no evidence that I had bought the weaponry and explosives. Not that I had shown my face or revealed myself at any time to him.

A frenzy of panicked activity exploded as guards came out of the cars and formed a defensive perimeter around the convoy. Just as expected.

One car with Hayama Sr. in it raced off and I started off after him in my own car.

People tended to completely panic when something out of the ordinary happened, and this was one of the times. The rest of the bodyguard detail had been left behind as the car sped off, and I followed in the same Mercedes model he was using, making him think I was one of his detail.

Time for plan B.

The Hayamas owned a safe house in a hotel in downtown Chiba that was closest to where they had been, and I had already known where they were headed beforehand. Hayama's PA was quite the ditzy woman who left information lying around all the time in her office.

The security detail entered the basement parking of the tall black glass building where the safe house was located. Just as they entered the elevator, I pulled my car into the parking, completely ignoring the attendant on duty. As I parked the car, the attendant approached me. What should I do? Shoot him?

Nope. "I'm with Mr. Hayama. This is an emergency." I barked out officiously. He looked bewildered and just bowed. But I had already dismissed him. I walked to the side elevator and rode it to the 32nd floor where I knew the safe house was.

Once there in the main hallway, I could see two men standing guard at the door. That clearly eliminated direct entry as an option.

I saw a cleaner enter the room to my left. He had a master key, and had left it hanging at the door while he cleaned inside. How careless of him… and convenient for me.

I snatched it away, in the process making sure no camera caught me. I then walked nonchalantly to the door next to the one occupied by Hayama Sr. The guards looked at me suspiciously until I keyed the pass into the lock next door, and entered inside, hoping that there was no one inside.

Well, there was someone inside, but he seemed to be snoring away, a bottle of whiskey on the side table.

I closed the door carefully behind me and walked to the end where the balcony door was situated. I peered out and waited for a time just to ascertain the location of the third guard, who had come in the car, and must be somewhere inside.

And I was rewarded for my patience when the patrolling guard walked out on his side of the balcony with an SMG in his hand. I waited for him to turn around, then rose from my hiding place and stealthily crossed from the balcony I was on to his side with a small agile jump. Thank god for my aerobics training.

In the noise that the rainfall was making, the man did not hear me until I put two closely spaced bullets in his back with my 9mm silenced. The two must definitely have hit his heart. He jerked involuntarily, and I put my hand around his mouth so he wouldn't make a sound. I then let him slide down softly and peered inside.

The comfortable looking hotel room was lighted softly, and it seemed to be empty. I slid the sliding access door, and softly tiptoed inside.

The shower was on and that was where I assumed he was.

I decided to hide in the clothes closet at least until he came out.

And not a moment sooner, as I heard the sound of the bathroom door open as soon as I entered the closet. The golden haired patriarch of the Hayama Lawyers came out in his bath robe and proceeded to the table presumably to check his mail.

Now that I was here, and he seemed to be just a bullet away from death, I wondered how I should go about it. A heart to heart talk, perhaps? Or should I just shoot him in the back. Either way, a talk wouldn't hurt.

I lightly stepped out of the closet and proceeded towards him, his back still turned to me. His shoulders tensed- he must have sensed my presence.

"One wrong move and you will have five bullets in you before you know what's happening." I said coldly. "Turn around with your hands stretched out to the sides so that I can see them at all times." He complied.

"Yukinoshita Haruno. I should've known. Was that you who took my wife and son's life? A fire was it?"

"A fair recompense for my sister and my brother in law to be, don't you think?"

"What are you talking about?" he feigned ignorance. I rolled my eyes. These lawyers…

I removed the distance between us in a long step and put my hand on his mouth as I fired a bullet into his knee cap. The result was a shriek of pain dumbed down and muted to a moan due to my hand in his mouth.

"Pity these walls are sound proof. Which means your guards outside cannot really hear you as I torture you to death." I said with a sardonic smile.

"What do you want!" He shrieked, clearly in lots of pain.

"The truth. Tell me everything."

"Allright, Allright, keep your hands off of me."

"All right All right isn't going to cut it, Hayama san. I need answers. And who said I laid my hands on you? I can shoot you without laying my hands on you."

"It was your mother who-" I interrupted him with a shot to his already decimated kneecap. At this range, the bullet blew a hole I could clearly see through.

I waited for 5 minutes, as he came back to consciousness.

"You devil…"

"I need the truth. Don't put blame on others, Hayama san. If it was your idea to begin with, just own up to it." I said sweetly.

"But it was your mother who came up with the idea first." He defended himself.

"So you _were_ telling the truth. Well, sorry for the knee." I apologized insincerely.

"Well, there wasn't much to it." He continued. "We all agreed that Hachiman wasn't…" He trailed off with fear as I raised my weapon at him. I'd heard enough. And I didn't want to hear anyone say Hachiman wasn't worthy of Yukino's love.

"Pl..Please, it wasn't p-personal." He begged.

"It was for me." I said.

The muffled noise that the silenced hand gun made had a strange finality to it.

It was so amusing what we all humans did to each other. I remembered a quote that ran along the lines of how humans found it so easy to deliver righteous judgement on their enemies, as if death was a weapon wielded only by the powerful, as if there was no time when a so called 'winner' or the 'successful' would have to face death himself. As if death was a weapon that was only delivered by the powerful on others, not the other way around. As if …death would never touch those who had perpetrated deaths on other. As if death could be won over if they had been the deliverers before.

Well, such were the mistakes that my parents and Hayama and his family made. And such were the consequences that they all faced.

I wondered about my own sanity. Over the last week, I had dispensed with five human lives without a second thought. Some of them my closest blood relatives. Now what?

I toyed with the gun. 12 rounds still remained. Only one would be needed if I were to take my own life…

Was there any point in living anymore? Hayama and his lawyer's firm had come into my possession now since the entire family was dead. I already had the Yukinoshita company to my name, not to mention my seat in the prefecture.

But what point all this power and money when none of those I had loved were with me? The amusing little cynic, the dependent little sister, broken parents who pursued power and money without second thoughts for their children…

"It was very difficult for me," The voice startled me back to reality, and I found Yukino sitting beside me on the sofa, "to ever believe that I could ever find a person who would help me unconditionally. Who would love me for who I was."

"Yes." I said softly.

"After all, I had two stern parents, a cold elder sister, and no end of spiteful miserable school mates. But-" And she took a long nostalgic breath, "someone as idiotic as myself, a cold clumsy person found someone. It took him some time, but when I first met Hachiman, I never thought he would be the one to save me… to love me." She looked at me softly. "Do you understand what I'm getting at, Nee san?"

I shook my head, dejected. I must have hurt her so much…

"Life is never how you plan it to be. You take things in stride. This is a low point for you." I snorted at the understatement. And she smiled all too softly once again. "It might seem like this is the end of everything. It isn't. The dead envy the living and the living, the dead. But when it comes down to it, you are alive. You have the power to change things for the better. You have the chance to live your own life and do what needs to be done for others."

"Don't live your life for yourself." Came the cold voice from behind, and I turned to find Hachiman approach me. "Live it for others, the poor, the homeless, the needy. Do what needs to be done, Haruno san." For the first time and perhaps the last, he had called me by my first name.

"Leave these ashes behind you, Nee san. And try and find peace in your life."

"But how?"

"Ah, that's for you to know _and_ to find out." She rose elegantly, and was gone.

Very well, Yukino, I'll do it for you, I decided. I rose up and went to the balcony, crossing back to the other side.

And looked up at the dawn stealing up against the night sky.

 **A/N** : Thus ends my second jaunt into the dark recesses of the memories of those fateful events after the death of a young Heiress and her lover.

I have found myself delving into the worst case scenarios and couldn't come up with one that was darker than this. And I promise, no more dark stories from me. I neither like them, nor do I have a penchant for them, nor am I particularly good at writing these.

What I did hope to show in this chapter were Haruno's thought processes as she exacted revenge on those who had taken away everything dear from her.

I know I should've done the honors at the beginning, but I would like to dedicate these two stories to ImaNuke and gnt000q. ImaNuke because his basic premise from Essais Chapter 13 gave me the inspiration to write melancholic tragedy, and gnt000q because he has come up with the most optimistic storyline after the events of Volume 12, something that is exactly opposite to what this story is.

As a final word, there was still a surprising amount of confusion about Hachiman and Yukino. In the previous chapter, the two were dead due to a car 'accident' perpetrated by Yukino's parents due to their disapproval of the pairing. The story is obviously the worst case scenario, at least the worst I could think of.

Anyhow, I'm just going to focus on 'Conversations…' here on with.

Well, cheers, or death, or whatever…

 **Alternative ending after the bombing in present time**

The car rushed towards the safe house. Once in the basement parking, the occupants rushed out in a state of frenzied panic and one of the guards hit the elevator call button repeatedly.

When the elevator finally came down and the doors opened with a Ding, I strode out towards them, levelling the silenced MP5 submachine gun, and proceeded to empty the entire 30 round clip into the backs of the detail who had been rushing in through the elevator's opening doors, with their backs carelessly turned towards me. As expected, nobody had stood guard and everyone had just wanted to rush in.

The elevator was left a mess of holes and bright red blood. Two of the men twitched, as if life still ran in their battered little bodies. I approached and coolly fired two rounds into each of them from my 9mm, then proceeded to make sure Hayama Sr. was dead by firing into his head twice.

Thus ends the great Hayama Sr., I thought. Brought down by his greed. And his search for family and name in society.


End file.
